The program in English is a major within the Humanities Division that includes tracks in creative writing, professional writing, and literature. It requires course work in composition, advanced grammar, creative writing, literature, publication of creative writing, and journalism, as well as individual studies with faculty on creative writing or internship projects, journalism or creative writing practicums, and a final senior portfolio or research project. The program supports the annual publication of InFlux, the campus literary magazine; helps support the publication of Battler Columns; and sponsors regular workshops and readings by guest writers.

Mission Statement

The mission of the English major at Alderson Broaddus University is to promote learning in literature, creative writing, and professional writing in order to help students acquire knowledge, develop skills, and realize their own intellectual and creative goals through a lifetime of writing, reading, and learning. Through a variety of activities such as workshops, public readings, practicum and internship experiences, publication of creative or journalistic work, and a coherent body of course work, the program seeks to enable students to become disciplined writers and learners who use language clearly, concisely, and creatively; who are able to read a wide range of literary works with sensitivity and understanding; and who are qualified to pursue graduate studies and/or careers in writing or literature.

Core Values

Commitment to Learning

The English major seeks to foster among students curiosity about the world, awareness of current events, earnestness in pursuing a meaningful liberal arts education, commitment to their studies in every discipline, and enthusiasm for appreciating literature, all in pursuit of a richness of experience and a breadth of knowledge from which to write, read, and learn throughout their lives.

Self-Discipline in Pursuit of Excellence

The English major seeks to help students develop self-discipline by encouraging them to write and revise their writing regularly, to be tenacious in finishing challenging writing projects and tackling challenging literature, to be undaunted when critiques of their work call for extensive revision or when literature requires them to expand the boundaries of their understanding, and to be determined to work hard to achieve excellence in all their studies.

Innovation

The English major encourages students to be original and innovative in their approach to writing tasks, to be valiant in undertaking new challenges in literature and in writing, to be nimble in dealing with new ideas and incorporating them into their work, and to be energetically committed to achieving freshness in their writing and genuine insight in their response to literature.

Sensitivity

The English major seeks to encourage in students tolerance for the views and writing styles of others, receptiveness to the work and the critiques of others, tact and kindness in critiquing the work of others, and sensitivity to the great works of literature as models or inspiration for the students’ own writing.

For more information about the English major, contact Professor Carol Del Col, Associate Professor of Literature & Writing/Chairperson, Division of Humanities, Ph. 304.457.6301.